Firewood Ratings

Firewood ratings can be determined by a variety of different characteristics. When deciding what type of firewood to burn this year, there are a few factors you should consider in addition to heating value.

When we think about firewood, most people want to know how many BTU's a specific species of wood will produce.

However, other firewood ratings like ease of splitting, ease of starting, smoke, sparks and coaling qualities are equally important. Here's why......

Ease of Splitting - Straight grained wood with a limited number of knots will split pretty easy. Some woods, especially hardwoods with interlocking grain will be difficult to split.

Ease of Starting - When building a new fire, choose a wood that is easy to start. Generally, softwoods create good kindling and fire starters because they are lightweight woods that contain natural resins that burn easily.

Amount of Smoke - If you have neighbors close by, the amount of smoke a wood produces could be a concern.

Sparks - A lot of softwoods have pockets of sap and moisture that will heat up and pop causing a spark to fly. These sparks can be troublesome and dangerous.

Coaling Qualities - A hot bed of existing coals will make restarting a fire a lot easier. Hardwoods generally have the best coaling qualities.

Firewood Ratings - Common Species

This chart shows the different firewood ratings for a variety of popular firewood choices. Choose a firewood that has acceptable characteristics for your specific needs.